The Sacramento Kings made a move on Wednesday night before the trade deadline, acquiring Harrison Barnes from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Kings are planning to make a long-term play for Barnes, who has a $25 million player option for the 2019-20 season.
The Kings want to make a long-term play to keep Barnes, who has a player-option on his $25M deal for the 2019-20, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/teCw98MfAY
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2019
The Kings have been active in the trade market leading into Thursday's trade deadline, making a deal earlier Wednesday night to acquire Alec Burks from the Cleveland Cavaliers while trading Iman Shumpert to the Houston Rockets. Give Sacramento General Manager Vlade Divac credit: The Kings, who were just one game back of the No. 8 seed in the West entering Wednesday, haven't made the playoffs since 2006, and Divac is going for it within Sacramento's means.
Barnes, who initially signed with the Mavericks during the 2016 offseason after beginning his career with the Golden State Warriors, said farewell to Dallas:
— Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) February 7, 2019
The 26-year-old forward was averaging 17.8 points per game in 48 starts with the Mavericks this season, and he averaged 18.8 points per game during his three seasons in Dallas. Barnes has had a down shooting year overall, but he's actually having a career year from three when you factor in percentage and volume -- 39 percent on over six 3-pointers a game.
Barnes is no sure bet to opt-in next season.
On the Mavericks' side, the biggest thing they get in this deal is salary relief. With Barnes off the books, Dallas can get close to having a max salary spot available this summer. That is huge after acquiring Kristaps Porzingis to keep building out what looks like a really promising young team all of a sudden.
As for the players Dallas gets, the 37-year-old Randolph merely represents an expiring contract. He'll be a free agent at the conclusion of this season and hasn't appeared in a single game during the 2018-19 campaign. As far as Jackson is concerned, he's a young forward with decent upside who can fill out the Mavs' depth chart. He averaged 6.7 points in 20.8 minutes per game in 52 appearances with the Kings this season.
